Stables' Highland League plan falters

A PROPOSAL for a two tier Highland League with promotion, relegation and play-offs has failed to win favour among clubs.

Sandy Stables

Keith president Sandy Stables had put forward a plan for two leagues of 10 teams, bringing two new teams into the set up for the 2015-16-season.

Mr Keith felt this would have added extra excitement to the Highland League with promotion and relegation between the leagues.

However, the move was almost unanimously dismissed at a meeting of the Highland League management committee in Lossiemouth on Thursday night.

Mr Stables said afterwards: "I think that is it more or less done and dusted. Almost all of them wanted to stay with the set up of 18 teams.

"One or two clubs thought it was a good idea. I am disappointed they didn’t give it as much attention as I would have hoped for."

Mr Stables proposal was in part to address the fact that the Highland League will have to have its championship finished by the middle of April in 2014-15 and the seasons thereafter to fit in with the new Scottish Professional Football League pyramid structure which will see the champions of the Highland League involved in a play-off for entry to the SPFL.

The management committee has instructed its office bearers to look at how next season can be brought to a conclusion in time to meet the mid-April deadline.

Mr Stables pointed to season 2009-10 when 157 games were postponed over the winter period and the league ran until the end of May.